Stactic Electricity

[Thomas]

Because dry condition lately every time I exit my pickup w/cloth seats Iam getting heck of static shock and I mean SHOCK.

I've spray 3M antic static spray w/in pickup even have two rubber straps fasten to frame touching ground still no luck.

What coarse of action have you taken?

Thanks.

 

[dave1949]

I get those zaps too.

I think it is a lot worse with one particular pair of shoes. I've taken to closing the car door after getting out by pushing on the window glass, not the metal door parts.

In the grocery store, I get zapped by touching the metal shelves. I think it's the shoes, but I would need to experiment a bit before saying 100% shoes.

 

[CobyRupert]

Why rubber straps and not something conductive?
Also, do you have a lot of salt on the roads there? In need of a wash?

 

[cqaigy2]

Every winter is like that. I've gotten used to tapping things to discharge when i want to instead of unexpectedly.

 

[CobyRupert]

Also try not touching things with a pointed (hint: lightning rod shaped) finger, but with a more flatter surface, say the back of your hand first. (See Coulomb's Law, Gauss' Law).

 

[MossRoad]

Because dry condition lately every time I exit my pickup w/cloth seats Iam getting heck of static shock and I mean SHOCK.

I've spray 3M antic static spray w/in pickup even have two rubber straps fasten to frame touching ground still no luck.

What coarse of action have you taken?

Thanks.

I hear you Thomas. We've been driving a 2000 Impala with leather seats for the last 10 years. A couple weeks ago we bought a 2013 Impala with cloth seats. ZZAAAPPPP!!!!! OUCH! $^&%@!!!
Every time we get out ZZAAAPPP!!!!
Heck, it even gets you in the calf through your pants leg if you step out and your lower leg touches the car and the ground at the same time.
Makes you think about refueling the car.... lots of folks like to put the nozzle in, and then get back in the car while it refuels. That's a disaster waiting to happen.
Don't know what you can do to resolve it.
Rubber pants? :cool2:

 

[brin]

Warning !!!! Be sure to discharge any static electricity before you take the gas pump in your hand to fill up your tank....touch something metal before touching the gas pump handle....or Kabooommmmmm !

 

[jinman]

Ah yes...triboelectric effect is at play here. Triboelectric is NOT the generator out behind the teepee, but rather the rubbing together of two non-conductive materials so that electrons (and therefore the associated charge) are passed from one material to the other, setting up a potential difference. One of the most simple ways to prevent static buildup is to allow it to dissipate at low levels. A spray bottle of fabric softener will help tremendously. Just like it prevents static in a dryer, it can prevent buildup of static because it is just conductive enough to bleed off low charges and ensure all the areas around are charge neutral. Winter salt is actually a good conductor and helps charges dissipate. However, the low humidity levels present in winter are responsible for a reduction in moisture coating us and the insides of our vehicles so that charges bleed off harmlessly. Rubber soled shoes with man-made uppers instead of the slightly conductive leather shoes of the past are also suspect.

I would try a spray bottle or can of cheap fabric softener first. You can wear wrist and ankle ground straps, but that seems a little extreme for driving your car. If you use the fabric softener, put a heavy coating on the floor mats as well as a light coating on the dashboard and seat covers. Also make sure all your clothes and undies are dried with fabric softener sheets.

 

[Thomas]

Dave1949
Looking forward to your shoe experiment findings.

Colby R.
I was told rubber straps would help,maybe for some not for me..willing to try about anything at this point.

Mossroad.
I also sputter words which can post from shocks,when fuel Iam double caution steps taken.
Whats strange I don't get shock from my wifes car and she has cloths etc...puzzling.

Brin.
Yes sir that's a must for me.

Jinman.
I plan on trying your idea w/fabric softener spray bottle,heck even will put fabric softener sheets my coat and undies after last night shock light show I got..even Mrs. said I heard that..must have hurt.

 

[MossRoad]

Thomas,
Here's a list of cars we've owned or still own with clothe seats.
83 Cavalier - no shocks.
89 Cavalier Z24 - no shocks.
93 Chevy van conversion - few mild shocks.
93 Suburban - no shocks.
2013 Impala - I think I know where "old sparky" from the state prison got retired to! :shocked:

Anyhow, maybe its the seat fabric that does it?

 

[Gary Fowler]

A few days ago when it was in the 20's and very dry, at first I couldn't understand why my dog was running (slinking) away from me till one time I tried to pet him and realized that I was sparking him with static discharge. He didn't like that on the nose for sure.

 

[k0ua]

Thomas,
Here's a list of cars we've owned or still own with clothe seats.
83 Cavalier - no shocks.
89 Cavalier Z24 - no shocks.
93 Chevy van conversion - few mild shocks.
93 Suburban - no shocks.
2013 Impala - I think I know where "old sparky" from the state prison got retired to! :shocked:

Anyhow, maybe its the seat fabric that does it?

We used to us a spray bottle for use around electronics called Nok-A-Shok. I have even used Fabreeze. The fabric softener will definitely stop the generation of the static on your Chevy.

How to Make Anti Static Spray | General Home & Garden | FireHow.com

 

[k0ua]

A few days ago when it was in the 20's and very dry, at first I couldn't understand why my dog was running (slinking) away from me till one time I tried to pet him and realized that I was sparking him with static discharge. He didn't like that on the nose for sure.

A similiar think happened with one of our cats (the outside kitty) this winter. He likes to come in and I will touch his nose with a finger as a greeting (its a kitty thing, for you folks that don't have cats and don't know their protocols) Anyway my finger drew an arc off of the kitty's nose big enough to see and hear, and he wasn't too happy!:shocked:

James K0UA

 

[dave1949]

Dave1949
Looking forward to your shoe experiment findings.

Colby R.
I was told rubber straps would help,maybe for some not for me..willing to try about anything at this point.

Mossroad.
I also sputter words which can post from shocks,when fuel Iam double caution steps taken.
Whats strange I don't get shock from my wifes car and she has cloths etc...puzzling.

Brin.
Yes sir that's a must for me.

Jinman.
I plan on trying your idea w/fabric softener spray bottle,heck even will put fabric softener sheets my coat and undies after last night shock light show I got..even Mrs. said I heard that..must have hurt.

I'd be going easy on spraying softener in the undies. :laughing:

The shoes are leather uppers and man-made liner, and some rubbery sort of soles. From China. Probably a red commie plot to electrocute our pets since their pet food poisoning plot left some alive.

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

Try to grab and hold onto a metal part of the car (e.g. front door pillar) before you slide out of your seat and out of the car. You'll "short" the charge as you build it.

 

[3930dave]

Some sets of tires can create more of a static problem than others.

If you have conductive straps on the frame that touch the ground, check that the body ground for your truck is still in place and intact. Rubbber body mounts can electrically isolate the frame from the body on a truck - if the body grounds are removed for service work and not replaced, or are broken, it can contribute to static problems.

Rgds, D.

 

[bcp]

Rubber straps won't help, UNLESS they are made as anti-static straps with conductive material built in.

Your car or truck is already contacting the ground with the rubber of the tires.

Here are some:

Truck Vehicle Car Ground Wire Metal Anti Static Strap Earth Belt | eBay

Bruce

 

[jinman]

I'd be going easy on spraying softener in the undies. :laughing:

Yep! You can remove the "spark" from your love-life if you get too carried away.

In the electronics industry where I used to work, male and female assemblers were encouraged to wear all cotton undies. If somebody had a history of failures on the circuits they built, static was always suspect. As little as 85 volts of static could blow the junctions apart in FETs. Some of the assemblers had so many ankle and wrist bracelets as well as floor mats and desktop workstation mats with attachment points that they looked like they were getting hooked up to the electric chair rather than their workstation. A sure way to get screamed at was to walk up to the workstation unprotected and act like you were going to pick up one of their circuit boards. I swear some of those women knew words that'd make a sailor blush.

 

[Redneck in training]

While working north of polar circle one winter we would draw an inch long sparks between figers and in example door handle. We learned wery quicly to use palm of hand and touch the door first before grabbing the door handle.